The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-01
TIE PIRATE OF THE MISSISSIPPI.
An Organization of Cut-ThrOats and Crimi-
nails That Extended Over the Whole South.

81 don't think" said Capt. J. II. Oglesby TO
Journal reporter, that cut Threats and scouu-
drels in any department of crime superior to
those of half century ago. The James broth
ers and the Younger brothers were exceled by
John A. Murrell and his gang. and it is doubtful
if any country alleged to be civilized had
a conspiracy Cor theft and murder
tensive and we'll organized as that of Murrell,
who called the Pirate of the Mississippi
In that day great quantities of corn, hay, pork,
lard and other produce found its way by fat
boats down the Ohio and Mississippi to New Or
leans. It was cheap sportation and the
fiat boatmen not only had market
at New Orleans, but they could sell to planters
on the way down. Before steamboats, became
numerous these f1atboats easy prey to
pirates of the Murrell kind, and on many occa-
SONS fatboat crews surprised by these
villains, who would murder the crew, throw
them into the river and then actually have the
hardihood to man the boat themselves and take
the cargo to New Orleans and sell it. The MUIR
rell gang 1ncud ed horse stealing in their depre-
dations, and their operations in this line were
on large ars scale. 1t u. was before the
travelled slowly. Stolen horses passed
from hand to hand great States. and
many of the men engaged were wealthy planters
who were not suspected, or, il suspected, were
not charged with crime on account of the fear
inspired by the great and desperate organization
to which they belonged. The South has always
been a better field for the organizing OF such
conspiracles than the North. The Ku-klux bore
n remarkable similarity to the Murrell gangs
method OF doing business. 1t was the MurrelI
plan ADAPTED to politics.
Fifty years and more ago l believe the opera
tions in counterfeit money were greater than
they have been since, and the methods of 'shov-
ing the queer we're quite adroit they have
ever been since. In lS34-that's ffty-three years
ago-I was clerk on a Mississippi steamboat
called The Champion One day stopped at
Cairo. ILL.,, and took on board keen, nervous
little fellow named Simpson. He had lot of
negroes-they were 'niggers' in that day-about
thirty, that he had gathered in Missouri, and
was taking down to New Orleans TO sell.
We thought more then of taking thirty mig
gers to New Orleans to be sold there than
would had they been only many head of
mules. Simpson said he did have money
enough to pay freight; but we were not dls-
turbed about that. He would give order
the merchant to whom they were consigned,
and when the niggers were sold would get
our money. Three or four days down from
Cairo stopped on the Arkansas side
wood and miserable little cabin
near by of which the wood seller, a weazen-faced,
ferret-eyed old man and his wife. wrinked,
s1ovenlv old woman. were the only occupants.
The cabin and contents would have been dear at
50 so. The old man saw we had negroes on
board and Simpson was pointed out to him as
the owner He came board and, after look
ing the lot, selected likely looking young
negro wench of about twenty years He said
-rlo0matlZ'
so bad she couldn't DO the work, and he .reck-
oned he would take the girl. So the negro
woman was left behind and moved down
stream.
"a few hours later Simpson came to me to
pay the freight passage on his human cargo.
He had sold the woman for $3.50 He consid-
cred 1t good price and was in a high good hu-
NOR AS he opened his wallet / noticed the
banknotes were all new. and he handed me
the passage money, about $3.50, l saw. after
brief inspection-I excellent Judge
of money in those days-that it was
counterfeit, and told him so. He offered to bet
any amount that it good, as he knew
something about money himself. Mr.. Pope,
Louisville banker, happened to be on the boat
and i told Simpson it wasn't worth while to bet
but show the money to the banker. Mr. Popes
judgment agreed with my opinion. Every dol
lar of the $3.50 was counterfeit
Simpson was the maddest man ever saw
He was game little fellow, ard demanded to
be put ashore; that he would find the id old
scoundrel and get his niger, beside doing quite
number OF terrible things when he caught the
old deceiver. It was time after that be-
fore met Simpson again. He had gone with
all speed to the woodward. The old man. the
old woman. and what more grievous the
likely young negro wench. were gone Nothing
remained OF the cabin but a pile of ashes and
charred sticks"